TJ Shearer and Ren Elliot win U14 Bath Festival
Back in May, TJ Shearer and Ren Elliot were part of the Dorset Bath DPP squad that won every game at the end of season Bath tournament, the first Dorset side ever to do so. Both boys have been training, with the Bath DPP set up since November and have progressed huge amounts, adapting positionally whilst developing their skill-sets. They have been a full part of 18 sessions on Wednesday evenings including a highly contested internal game in which there was one try in it.
TJ has improved not just physically this year, but his skill-set around the breakdown, tackle height and catch pass all around the pitch. He is an integral part to the Bath DPP site, and his leadership skills have not gone unnoticed. He is an absolute power-house, who still has a lot of developing to go, but has made an excellent start to his ambitious aspirations of becoming a professional rugby player.TJ has been selected already for the Bath PDG programme which commences next academic year, to further his experiences and skill-set at a higher level in the new position of hooker.
Ren has gone from strength to strength this season, showing huge amounts of both physical development and understanding of the game, adapting to the position of blind-side flanker and hooker. He is ferocious at the breakdown and scored the ‘winning try’ in the internal game, powering over past 3 defensive players. He is growing in confidence session by session and when he re-trials next season I am sure he will get back into Bath PDG.
Both boys have done incredibly well this season, as have other boys within his year group, who will be also tapping on the door of Bath PDG next season. The epitome of their season was winning the Dorset and Wilts Cup for Swanage & Wareham RFC, beating Bournemouth by two points in fiercely contested game. A huge thank you to the parents of these students, coaches at Swans (especially Daffyd Wright) and all Bath DPP coaches.
Mr Tarbard
